NEWPORT NEWS, Va. -- The 13th-ranked Christopher Newport volleyball team extended its winning streak to nine straight and celebrated Senior Day with a tremendous effort on Saturday afternoon as the Captains took down Marymount, 3-0 (25-15, 25-18, 25-11), and Bethany, 3-0 (27-25, 25-18, 25-23), during a tri-match at the Freeman Center.

During the two matches, Hannah Miller paced the Captains with 14 kills while hitting at a .462 clip. She also contributed 11 blocks on Saturday to help hold the opposition to a combined .051 hitting percentage. Maddie McCann also chipped in with 14 blasts, while Ashley Rock stung five aces.

Competing in their final regular season home matches, the 2014 seniors also came through with memorable performances. Krista Hughes was nearly flawless against Marymount, drilling 11 kills to go along with a .450 attack percentage. While Hughes headlined the offensive attack, Jessie Kolden and Brooke Moore cleaned up defensively. During the two matches, Moore pocketed a team-high 25 digs and Kolden finished a perfect 22-for-22 on serve-receive. She also contributed seven kills to balance out a well-rounded afternoon.

With the two victories, Christopher Newport improves to 27-3 on the season. The win over Marymount also boosted the Captains' conference record to a pristine 7-0. The Saints now sit at 23-9 and 5-2 in the CAC, while Bethany is 21-12 overall.

Opening the day with a critical conference tilt against Marymount, the Captains got off on the right foot with a fast start against the Saints. Hughes led the early surge with three kills before Eliza Fisher lit an ace and Miller had a sensational solo block on the way to a 10-6 lead. Following the stoppage, the Saints retaliated for a moment, but the Captains kept them at bay. Hughes tacked on two more kills and Conway dumped in a pair of floaters to snatch a 19-12 advantage heading into another timeout.

With enough breathing room, CNU quickly closed out the frame. Conway dropped in another rainbow and teamed with Miller on a block to start the final push. Later, Rock picked up right where she left off on Friday with another tremendous serve. Earning set-point, she blistered a shot that caught the top of the tape and dripped over for an ace. On the very next rally, McCann fired a bullet off the Marymount block to cap off the 25-15 victory.

Grabbing another early lead in the second set, Conway got Christopher Newport going with back-to-back aces before Kolden connected on two kills and Fisher added a solo block on the way to a 10-7 lead. Unfortunately, Marymount found its groove and orchestrated a response in the middle of the frame to snare a 12-11 advantage.

Unfazed by the sudden shift in momentum, CNU simply battled back. Abby McIntyre helped jumpstart the comeback with a pair of aces, including one that drilled a defender and ricocheted across the gym. Kolden also helped out with three kills to nail down a 22-17 lead. With the offense clicking, the defense stepped up to close out the frame. Miller registered three straight rejections, including back-to-back blocks with Conway, to ice the second stanza, 25-18.

With another match looming later in the day, the Captains quickly closed out the opener with a remarkable performance in the third. Miller and Hughes both recorded a block and blast in the early going, while McIntyre rifled an ace to steal a 12-6 lead. Later, after a minor run by the Saints, the hosts showed off their firepower to cap off the frame.

Briana Sutton got things jumping with an absolute rocket that nearly dented the floor in the center of the Marymount defense. Hughes also blistered a pair of kills, while Miller smacked an ace to grab a 22-10 lead. Easing into the victory, Sutton and Hughes came back with two more bullets before Conway laced an ace on the final rally to seal the 25-11 victory.

Overall, CNU finished the match with nine aces, including three by Conway and McIntyre. Miller had a phenomenal outing as well with seven blocks and seven kills. Kolden also added seven blasts and five digs while posting a spotless 10-for-10 effort on serve-receive.

Following a short break in the action, Christopher Newport returned to the court for a non-conference showdown with Bethany. Also coming off of a three-set victory over Marymount, the Bison rolled out to a 12-7 lead over the Captains in the first set. Once again, CNU showed tremendous resolve as the squad shook off the early struggles and mounted a comeback. Rock was at the heart of the resurgence with a kill and ace, while McCann added two kills and a block to help the hosts retake a 14-13 lead.

Later, McCann smacked a pair of aces, but Bethany used a strong surge to nab a 23-22 edge heading into a CNU timeout. Facing a tough situation, the Captains turned to Fisher, who rolled the block twice with a pair of kills to help knot the frame at 25. On the next rally, Miller drove home a dagger before a Bison miscue handed CNU a hard-fought 27-25 victory.

After battling back in the first frame, Christopher Newport never trailed in the second. Rock got things started with another spectacular effort at the service line, including two more aces. She also made an acrobatic diving dig to keep a rally alive before McIntyre drove home a kill on the way to a 4-0 advantage. Later, Rock hit the Bison with another kill and Conway added a winner of her own before a rash of BC errors helped CNU take a 14-8 lead entering a timeout.

Although Bethany was able to whittle its deficit down to four on two occasions, McCann never let the visitors get any closer. The sophomore pumped three late kills, including one that broadsided a defender and went spinning into the BC bench. With an imposing six-point lead late in the stanza, Rock painted the far sideline with another ace before Miller tipped in the clincher off a feed from Conway to wrap up the second, 25-18.

Holding a two-set lead, CNU found itself in a tight battle in the third. McIntyre found her footing early in the stanza with two kills and a block, but Bethany was able to sneak out to an 11-9 lead. Despite another solid run by McIntyre, which included three kills during the span of four rallies, the Bison were able to sustain a two-point spread at 16-14.

Looking to piece together a run, the Captains turned to McCann. During a huge push late in the frame, the second-year standout popped three kills and teamed with Rock on a block, which turned the tables and gave CNU a 22-20 advantage. In good position for another sweep, Christopher Newport showed off its finesse game. Fisher gently tipped a shot over the block that dropped just inside the near sideline for a 23-21 lead. On the next rally, McIntyre took care of a free ball with a light touch along the net to grab match-point.

Although Bethany was able to win the next two rallies, the Captains returned to the old faithful and flashed some muscle to clinch the victory. On the final battle, Conway fed a quick hitter to Miller, who demolished one last kill to cap off the 25-23 triumph.

McCann eventually finished the contest with 10 kills and three blocks. Rock and Fisher also contributed three rejections apiece. McIntyre did solid work with nine kills as well, while Moore secured 17 digs. Conway also had a well-balanced performance with 26 assists, nine digs, and four kills.

Along with Moore, Kolden, and Hughes, the Captains also honored the senior members of the CNU staff prior to Saturday's action. The squad took time out to celebrate the efforts and work of student assistant coach Katie Jarrett and team managers Kristina Huffman and Andrew Thompson. Together, the three have spent a combined eight years with the volleyball program working tirelessly behind the scenes at practices and on gamedays.

Christopher Newport will return to action on Thursday with a trip to Mary Washington at 7 p.m.

---CNU---